Right flatwounds for ABG

[bassinstincts]

Went thru this exercise a few years ago for my Lambe archtop fretless. With the Pickup The World under bridge pickup I had, metal wrapped strings were way too pingy and the rotosound tape wrappeds were the clear winner.

Now, I am about to put a KandK underbridge pickup on the bass, and i think that I can once again go to metal (tape wounds are, in some cases, be less pingy, but they don't really sound like strings to me).

Don't want bright sounding (but don't need dull, thumpy sounding like Pyramid) and prefer a lighter tension. TI flats won't fit this extra long scale bass, any recommendations on Rotosound Monel vs some of the stainless flatwounds? I am looking for an upright (not bluegrass upright) sound.

Thanks.

 

[bassmastan]

Chromes?


*** 200th Post!***

 

[bassinstincts]

Thanks. Chromes are certainly an option, but ideally, I would like something with lower tension, more like TI flats.

 

[lowendfriend]

Roto's are way too tense for an ABG...nearly ruined mine with them as the extgra tension caused the top to bubble up around the bridge.

I use webstring.com Detroit Flat stainless after yanking the roto's off....they are inexpensive and have a really nice thump and are probably the smoothest flats I've ever used.

To me kinda like lower tension Roto 77's.

If you want something softer than the Detroit steels but firmier than the TI's, I would recommend the Sadowsky flats (SS).

 

[bassinstincts]

Thanks, friend.

 

[lowendfriend]

An added comment... Sadowsky flats are probably the lowest tension SS flat above TI flats which some folks consider downright "wormy". The Sad's are not wormy at all, but they are decidedly softer than chromes. They also have reasonably bright D and G strings.

Chromes are lower tension than Roto 77's, but higher than Sadowsky flats. Chromes also have a bright D and G.

FYI Sadowsky flats are made to Sadowsky specs by LaBella.

 

[bassinstincts]

Thanks again.

I ordered a set of the Detroits. I doubt that they will be long enough for my archtop, but if so I can use them on another bass.

From what I can see the Sads won't be long enough either.
Seems like only tapewrappeds from Roto and Labella (and Roto Monels) come in extra long. But I will call around on Monday.

I appreciate your help.

 

[lowendfriend]

Thanks again.

I ordered a set of the Detroits. I doubt that they will be long enough for my archtop, but if so I can use them on another bass.

From what I can see the Sads won't be long enough either.
Seems like only tapewrappeds from Roto and Labella (and Roto Monels) come in extra long. But I will call around on Monday.

I appreciate your help.

Sad's come in an XL length that is really pretty long.....I got them for my Warwick and had more string than I knew what to do with. The std length would have been fine for a long 34" scale, top-loaded. I wound up wrapping a turn of full thickness string on the B and then had trouble intonating.

I use the Detroits on a 35" scale fretless Dean ABG...plenty of wraps....you may be OK. Good luck!

Not too helpful wrt the wrapping but here is a photo of Detroit Steels on my ABG Dean fretless:

As you can see, very smooth and are doing zero to the rosewood fretboard wear-wise. I'm seeing a little wear from chromes on my 55-01 ebony fretless after about the same timeframe of use.

 

[bassinstincts]

Very helpful. Thanks as always

I will order some xl sads, too

I'm excited that the detroits may fit

 

[bassinstincts]

The Detroits were too short for my long scale archtop ABG. As soon as I can find an XL 4 string set of the Sads I will order.

Tried the Detroits on my Boulder Creek. Didn't like the results. Stayed with the bronze roundwounds. But replaced the TI flats on my Hanewinckel with the Detroits and BINGO!, the very subterranean sound as I was looking for.

Thanks.

 

[markanini]

I'd reconsider Chromes if I were in your shoes, what's saying they don't scale well to 100-40 for example? You could also try a hybrid set consisting of 105,80,40,45 which does two things: 1. Makes the string to string tension more even than a standard set 2. Lowers overall tension

 

[bassinstincts]

Thanks, but the sound isn't to my taste

 

[bassist4dalord]

Not too helpful wrt the wrapping but here is a photo of Detroit Steels on my ABG Dean fretless:

That pic needs to go here:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f16/show-us-your-flats-822488/

 

[bassinstincts]

Got my archtop ABG back from Wes Lambe (the luthier who made it) with a KandK pure floating bridge pickup installed.
What a difference! The Rotosound tapewounds now sound incredibly good (they are much better than any other tapewound I have tried) on the instrument. The search for a truly upright-like sound is over.